Aldi

[pee dubya]

Their business model is based on selling a high quantity at very low profit margins, i believe less than 5%

You spend $6000/year there, at a guess that'll be $300 profit at best.

Any markdowns (returns/spoilage/theft) then have a huge impact on the profit. Theoretical example fairy lights profit of $1 from $20. You lose one set of lights and have to sell 19 more to pay for it.

As a result they will have a strict returns policy amongst other things, probably with pressure put on customer services to adhere to the rules.

It leads to individual cases that on the face of it seem counter-productive, but will probably be saving them significant amounts money overall.

 

[manimanc]

£4 for four Guinness. Winner winner chicken dinner.

 

[nw42]

You don't live in Salford then??

No but I don't think 3 stores is a lot considering the populace.

 

[Summerbuzz]

Their business model is based on selling a high quantity at very low profit margins, i believe less than 5%

You spend $6000/year there, at a guess that'll be $300 profit at best.

Any markdowns (returns/spoilage/theft) then have a huge impact on the profit. Theoretical example fairy lights profit of $1 from $20. You lose one set of lights and have to sell 19 more to pay for it.

As a result they will have a strict returns policy amongst other things, probably with pressure put on customer services to adhere to the rules.

It leads to individual cases that on the face of it seem counter-productive, but will probably be saving them significant amounts money overall.

All supermarkets run at an extremely low profit margin. Net profit margin always works out to well below 5%. Sometimes as low as 1%, or 2%. I believe gross margin is rarely more than 10%. It's a volume business.

 

[RightTurnClyde]

Weve done our grocery shopping there for about 6 years now.
I bought these party lights recently but we had to cancel the party so I decided to take them back for a credit, I couldnt find the receipt but they were Aldi's brand and still sealed in the box, perfectly re saleable, so I thought it would be ok.

I went into the store and straight to the cashier and explained, she asked me for a receipt and I told her I couldnt find it but could I have a store credit. She seemed grumpy and refused saying no receipt no refund. I was a bit miffed so asked to see the manager, she dials a number and a guy comes out of a room, so I (in a friendly way) explained again he said the same as her, anyway eventually I said look these are your brand of lights still sealed (shrink wrapped box) and its only $25 , he still refused.
I said look Ive been shopping here for 6 years spending on average $6000 a year and if you dont give me a refund you will lose a customer.
He said 'whatever' and walked off

I went home and emailed head office about this and a woman rang me that day, she said the guy shouldnt have said 'whatever' but without a receipt they wouldnt refund my $25 so sorry about that...

They have now lost a $6000 a year customer.
Im amazed that they can be so arsey about such a small sum and be happy to lose a regular customer to the competition.
I have spread the word about their non existent customer service, and I begrudge the $30,000 Ive spent in there.

Have they pissed anyone else off on here ?

Other than the "Whatever" I genuinely don't see any problem with the way that you were treated. If they were to give out refunds to everybody with no proof of purchase they would have a queue of smackheads stretching around the block to return their stolen shit. Members of staff could purchase items with their discount and then return them for full price to another store. So many ways that the no receipt issue could be exploited.

Maybe I'm just too much of an out of touch old fart, but I'd honestly expect to need a receipt/bank statement upon returning an item to any store. Hasn't it always been done that way?

 

[ChicagoBlue]

Didn't know they had Aldi in the USA.

Growing rapidly.

It goes against the grain a bit here, because we are a “more is better” country, but what they do well is very good! I always liked their breakfast cereal, and was a storming deal compared to Kelloggs and such.

 

[Bill]

Weve done our grocery shopping there for about 6 years now.
I bought these party lights recently but we had to cancel the party so I decided to take them back for a credit, I couldnt find the receipt but they were Aldi's brand and still sealed in the box, perfectly re saleable, so I thought it would be ok.

I went into the store and straight to the cashier and explained, she asked me for a receipt and I told her I couldnt find it but could I have a store credit. She seemed grumpy and refused saying no receipt no refund. I was a bit miffed so asked to see the manager, she dials a number and a guy comes out of a room, so I (in a friendly way) explained again he said the same as her, anyway eventually I said look these are your brand of lights still sealed (shrink wrapped box) and its only $25 , he still refused.
I said look Ive been shopping here for 6 years spending on average $6000 a year and if you dont give me a refund you will lose a customer.
He said 'whatever' and walked off

I went home and emailed head office about this and a woman rang me that day, she said the guy shouldnt have said 'whatever' but without a receipt they wouldnt refund my $25 so sorry about that...

They have now lost a $6000 a year customer.
Im amazed that they can be so arsey about such a small sum and be happy to lose a regular customer to the competition.
I have spread the word about their non existent customer service, and I begrudge the $30,000 Ive spent in there.

Have they pissed anyone else off on here ?

Serves you right. I only shop at Sainsburys Waitrose or M and S.

 

[remember arthur mann]

Serves you right. I only shop at Sainsburys Waitrose or M and S.

 

[Tuearts right boot]

FFS, just have another party, it would have been easier. Cant fault the place round here, though the guy on the checkout does look like an Orc extra from Lord of the Rings.

 

[jimharri]

Serves you right. I only shop at Sainsburys Waitrose or M and S.

I've got a book you might be interested in William....